The genus Mycaranthes
The genus Mycaranthes was first established by Dr. Carl Blume, in 1825, in Bijdragen. It was later considered to be a section in the genus Eria, until DNA analysis had it proven to be a good genus, in its own right. The type species for the genus is Mycaranthes
lobata, a plant found on the island of Java, in Indonesia.
Plants from this genus are usually quite large, and can be very untidy growers. Their saving grace though, is when they flower. Numerous inflorescences are produced from the apex of the flowering stem and these are covered in a multitude of small, interestingly shaped blooms. Most of the species from the genus Mycaranthes have a powdery callus on the mid lobe of the labellum, and the back surface of the bloom, the pedicel and ovary, and the inflorescences are usually covered in short, downy hairs.
The Philippines has about 13 species in the genus, the majority of which are endemic, and found in no other country. They grow mainly as epiphytes, but plants have been observed growing on moss-covered rocks in Mindanao. Mycaranthes candoonensis is only known from northern Mindanao, and is one of the species that has a sparsely flowered inflorescence. Each flower has a pale green bract, which adds to the beauty of this rare species. Mycaranthes citrina is also known from the large island of Borneo, and Peninsular Malaysia. In the Philippines, it has been found on the islands of Palawan and Sibuyan, where it grows at elevations of between 600 and 1,300 meters. This is one of the neater-growing species in the genus and the upright inflorescences produce many delightful pale yellow flowers. Mycaranthes gigantea, as the name implies is a large growing plant reaching heights of more than one meter! It is only known from the Philippines and has been recorded from the provinces of Bataan, Isabela, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, and Rizal on Luzon; the island of Mindoro; and the provinces of Agusan, Lanao, and Misamis on Mindanao. Usually these plants are found growing higher up on trees, rocks, and occasionally amongst the leaf litter on the forest floor. It grows at elevations of between 600 and 1,300 meters. Mycaranthes longibracteata is one of the more widely spread species in the genus and is known from the province of Cagayan and the Mountain Province on Luzon; the island of Negros in the Visayas; and the provinces of Misamis and Zamboanga on Mindanao. It is usually found at elevations of about 1,000 meters. The long bracts behind each flower are a distinguishing feature of this species. Mycaranthes mindanaensis is another large growing plant, which has been recorded from Negros in the Visayas; the island of Sibuyan; and the province of Davao del Sur on Mindanao. It has a wide elevational range of between 200 and 1,200 meters. Mycaranthes vanoverberghii was named for a Belgian priest, Father Morice Vanoverbergh, who worked amongst the native people of central Luzon, in the early 1900s. It has been recorded from the provinces of Apayao, Kalinga, the Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Quezon and Rizal; and the island of Mindoro. It usually occurs at elevations of between 300 and 1,550 meters. Of the species mentioned here, this one is, in our opinion, the most spectacular. The plant is also large growing, and when it blooms it can produce up to 6 terminal inflorescences, to 30 cm long, which are covered in white floral bracts, which make a most spectacular display.
All of the species mentioned in this article are not really suitable for growers in the lowlands and better be admired in their natural habitat. Much work needs to be done to further gain more knowledge within this genus, and to correctly identify known species.